INTERPOL

Definition: The International Criminal Police Organization, which is composed of 186 member nations that work together to combat international crime. INTERPOL was first established as the International Criminal Police Commission in 1923. INTERPOL has a president and secretary-general, as well as a general assembly guiding its operations. Each member nation operates a National Central Bureau staffed with law enforcement officers from that particular country. Because INTERPOL's constitution stresses that the organization has no political affiliation, the organization can facilitate crime-fighting efforts between nations that have no diplomatic relations.